Interview: Adam Grant Morrison of HARRY POTTER AND THE CURSED CHILD at Ohio Theatre

In HARRY POTTER AND THE CURSED CHILD, Albus Potter (Adam Grant Morrison) and Scorpius Malfoy (David Fine) use a Time-Turner to go back in time to try to prevent a tragedy from occurring. If Morrison could travel back to his first role, he might try to convince his younger self to stick with acting because it was going to take him to places he could never imagine. The show, which is the most expensive Broadway touring production at a cost of $23.5 million, will be performed from Oct. 12-26 at the Ohio Theatre (39 E. State Street in downtown Columbus).

Playing Albus is just slightly bigger than Morrison’s first role.

“I was a bush in SHREK THE MUSICAL JUNIOR,” Morrison said in a telephone interview from Providence, R.I.  “That was really fun, but I wasn't exactly bitten by the showbiz bug after that role.”

Morrison has recently taken over the role of Harry Potter’s rebellious second son, replacing Emmitt Smith, who is moving on to play the role on Broadway. He described his first show in the role as being “intense and very emotional.”

 “Joining this cast has been kind of jumping on a moving train,” Morrison said. “There was something kind of intimidating about that, but everyone who has been doing this show for a year now has been so quick to do anything they could to make us feel comfortable, welcomed, safe, and supported.”

That first show in Providence marked the end of a year-long voyage for Morrison. He first tried out for Albus for the Broadway production and made it to the final three, which included Alex Serrano who is currently wrapping up his tenure as Albus on Broadway. The audition wasn’t like what you see on television with an unsmiling director shouting out “Next” after one’s audition.

“This was my first really big audition since I moved to (New York City) right out of college,” said Morrison, a graduate of Oklahoma City University. “It was actually a really fun process. Everyone in the room was so kind, welcoming, and sweet. I feel very lucky my first experience in an audition room was like that.”

Morrison again auditioned for the touring cast and again, he didn’t get the role, losing out to Smith.

“I try not to overthink my auditions after I’ve done them because I will get into my head,” he said. “I convinced myself I wasn’t going to get it. When you want something so much, you try to think about it less so you don't get your hopes up.”

When his agent Lisa Price’s called Morrison, he sensed the sound of bad news in her voice.  

“She said, ‘it looks like they sent out an offer,’” Morrison said. “We went through some of the notes and I said, ‘That’s awesome. Thank you so much for arranging the audition.’ Then she goes, ‘Yeah, I’m just sad they gave it to that awful Adam Grant Morrison.’

“My initial reaction was total disbelief. My agent pulled a fast one on me, so shout to Lisa. I immediately called my sister (Sophie), my mom (Elizabeth), my brother (Austin), and my partner (Sierra Jimenez).”

The role is a vast departure for Morrison, who performed in mostly musicals like RENT, SWEENEY TODD, SPRING AWAKENING, LEGALLY BLONDE and JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR while attending Oklahoma City University.

“It's been quite some time since I've got to do a straight play, but we got us a week of table work before we started movement rehearsals,” he said. “With musicals, you have to start with the music and the choreography. We spent a week just reading through the show.”

What THE CURSED CHILD lacks in choreography, it makes up for in movement on the stage. Morrison said preparing for the role was almost like joining the Army. He went through a boot camp, workouts, core training, and worked with Lisa Ann Porter to master an English accent.

One of the biggest challenges for Morrison is adjusting to the show’s special effects.  THE CURSED CHILD creates a world in which characters fly, duel and contort their bodies in ways that don’t seem humanly possible.

“I’m not going to lie; it’s really fun,” Morrison said. “Some incredible minds have thought these things out. One of the most fun parts of the show is doing these illusions and then hearing the audience react. There’s nothing like it.”

Considering the vast number of fans of the books and movies, the effects better be impressive. STAR TREK has its “Trekkies” and DR. WHO has its “Whovians.” HARRY POTTER attracts a legion of fans called “Potter Heads.”

Every night, families with their children dressed up with cloaks, wands, and glasses greet Morrison at the stage door. At one of the Providence shows, a young fan showed up with a white, unmarred cast on his broken arm and a Sharpie marker.

“He told me he didn’t let anyone sign his cast until he had THE CURSED CHILD cast sign it,” Morrison said. “(Potter Heads) are really lovely, respectful people who are just excited about the show. It’s humbling to interact with people who really care about what you’re doing.”

Morrison remembers a feeling of excitement the night he was first introduced to the Potter series by his mother.

“The night before kindergarten, my mom told me and my twin sister, ‘Alright guys, it's time to move on from little kid books,’” he said with a laugh. “She brought out a copy of HARRY POTTER AND THE SORCEROR’S STONE and we read along with her.

“(The Potter series) has always been a big part of our family. We’ve read the books and seen the movies. It's really fun getting to getting to do this.”

Not everyone in the cast, however, has such a relationship with the Potter series. In an interview with Valley Breeze (Providence, R.I.), Matt Harrington, who plays Ron Weasley, admitted he didn’t know much about the Potter books and had to do a deep dive into Potter World before taking on the role.

“Some people on the tour are reading the books for the first time and talking about them,” Morrison said. “It’s honestly helpful, especially when you see how exciting it is for people who are reading or seeing things for the first time.”

Morrison enjoys the challenge of bringing to Harry’s second son to life and helping him grow up from the age of 11 when he first enters Hogwarts to being around 15 or 16. “You get to play different times in a person's life,” he said.

One benefit Morrison has is performing with a blank canvas. Castmates Harrington, Ryan Hallahan (Draco Malfoy), Nick Dillenberg (Harry Potter), and Rachel Leslie (Hermione Granger) are playing characters who have been on the big screen since 2001. Since there is no HARRY POTTER AND THE CURSED CHILD movie, so Morrison and Fine are playing characters no one has seen portrayed before.

“It is a double-edged sword, “ Morrison said. “I don't come in with these expectations from the audience. I get to build my own character. The people playing these beloved characters have fans who waiting for them with bated breath and they're so excited to see them.”

Morrison credits his twin sister Sophie, a NYC actress who is now performing in THE CHERRY PIT,  with helping him find his calling. Morrison was born female but transitioned into being a male while he was in high school. He grew up playing sports, but as he made the switch, he was no longer able to participate in female sports and wasn’t accept into boys sports.

“Growing up transgendered in Georgia was … a very interesting experience,” Morrison said, choosing his words carefully. “I had a lot of support from my friends and family, but with the political climate at the time and kids being high school kids, it didn’t constitute the nicest of situations. People started treating me very differently and then I realized I was incredibly unhappy. It was also one of the things that made me who I am today.

“When I wasn’t able to play sports, I thought what am I going to do with all this time on my hands. Sophie got me into WICKED, CHICAGO and all these other shows. Suddenly I became obsessed with it. Once I got to play Arpad Laszlo in SHE LOVES ME, I was like, ‘I have to do this. I don’t have any other choice.’”

Because of his background, Morrison has a complicated relationship with author J.K. Rowling, the creative force behind Harry Potter. The British author, who has a net worth of estimated $1 billion to $1.5 billion, has come under fire for a series of critical comments about the gender recognition reform initiatives in Scotland.

“I'm kind of an interesting position,” he said. “My (gender identity background) wasn’t something that was really known before I was cast. I love this (Harry Potter) universe and I grew up reading these books and loving the characters in them. (Rowling) has such an incredible mind, but she also believes these things I certainly know to be incorrect. Sometimes I wish I could sit down and talk with her. Other times I’d probably rather not.

“It's hard to reckon with at times, but at the end of the day, I’m glad I get to be here and lead this story. (Rawling’s viewpoints) don’t stop the fact we live in this world. Everywhere you go, you’re going to find trans people.”

Head shot courtesy of Baseline Theatrics